Lydia Miller drove to the net and scored 13 seconds from time to give Marion Center a mighty 59-57 win over Portage in a back-and-forth Heritage Conference girls’ basketball game on Friday.
The Stingers led 20-15 after the first eight minutes and went into halftime nine points ahead at 31-22.
The momentum turned in the Mustangs’ favor with a 22-point third quarter that allowed Portage to take a one-point lead, 44-43, into the final frame.
The teams traded baskets in the fourth quarter, tying the game at 55 by the one-minute mark. Mollie Shadle pulled a foul and hit two free throws to give the Stingers a 57-55 advantage, but Cami Burkett made a layup to tie things back up before Miller went off the sideline for the game-winner.
“It was really a hard fought fight from start to finish with a super fast game,” said Marion Center Coach Amy Trimble. “Our girls have developed an attitude that never gives up and will fight until the last buzzer sounds. It was a great team win; Every girl who stepped on the floor contributed and gave everything. Our banker was all in to keep the momentum going. Every player on this team has a role and tonight everyone fulfilled it.”
Miller and Kaelee Elkin each scored a double-double for the Stingers. Elkin scored with four 3-point field goals and added 10 rebounds and six steals en route to her game-high 25 points. Miller tacked to two 3s, 13 points and 10 boards.
Ashlyn Hudak hit five 3-point nets to lead the Mustangs and Alex Chobany went 6 for 8 at the free throw line for 15 points.
Marion Center is on a six-game winning streak that began on January 3 and included a 52-47 comeback win over United on January 5.
Both teams play on Tuesday. Marion Center (9-6 overall, 5-2 conference) travels to Cambria Heights and Portage (13-2, 5-2) welcomes United.
HOMER CENTER 36, PENNS MANOR 32: Penns Manor failed to find two timed shots in the final minutes as the Comets fell to Homer-Center in a hard-fought Heritage Conference game at home.
The Comets had the advantage early, going 11-8 after the first eight minutes and 20-19 at half-time before Deja Gillo and Sarah Stiteler fell in 3 seconds, allowing Penns Manor a 28-23 advantage get into the fourth quarter.
Penns Manor struggled to find the tire in a 13-4 Wildcats quarter and was two shots down with the final 35 seconds. The Comets got a steal but missed a layup, allowing homer-center to step onto the line and move up another point. Penns Manor chose not to call a time-out after grabbing the rebound and nearly leveled the game on a 3-point try going left.
“It was a close game the whole time,” said Penns Manor manager Jason Miloser. “Homer played really well but I thought we reacted and played very well ourselves. I’m proud of the defensive performance. (Macy) Sardone and (Molly) Kosmack are such great players and Sydney Shaffer and Ali Mumau did a great job defensively. We played some good team defense but we commend Homer for running on the stretch and making plays and making the bad shots they had to make to win the game.
Stiteler scored a game-high 13 points, and Gillo followed with 10, including a pair of 3s. Alyssa Altemus had four assists and five rebounds with seven points for the Comets.
Sardone went off the line 4-on-5 and scored eight of their 12 points in the fourth quarter for the Wildcats that put them high as a team. Alaina Fabin also hit double digits with 10 points.
Homer Center (9-3), a winner of four straight wins, greets the Redbank Valley outside of the conference Monday. Penns Manor (10-4) visits River Valley on Tuesday.
UNITED 57, SHOPPING LINE 24: United hit a season-high six 3-point field goals and shot past Purchase Line in a Heritage Conference game.
Lauren Donelson hit three 3s and scored 15 points to lead the Lions. Mollee Fry hit two 3s en route to 13 points and Ashley Doneslon drilled the other 3s.
United led 19-2 after the first quarter and continued from there.
Bailey Weaver and Bella Cessna each scored seven points for Purchase Line (4-8).
United (10-4, 5-3) have a tough road ahead of them. The Lions play at Bishop McCort on Monday, Portage on Tuesday and Homer Center on Thursday.
Purchase Line plays Tuesday at Homer Center.
HIGHLANDS 97, INDIANA 59: Highlands scored 66 points in the first half and set a season-high points tally to secure a WPIAL Class 4A Section 1 road win over Indiana.
Though Stanford Webb lost four 3-pointers and 16 points in the first half, Indiana couldn’t match the Golden Rams’ batting average, falling 66-34 at halftime.
The Highlands finished Indiana with 22 points in the third quarter and nine in the final eight minutes, breaking the 90-point mark for the fourth time this season.
Ten Golden Rams to score, led by Brayden Foster with 24 points and Jimmy Kunst with 23 points. Cameron Reigard scored 14 points and Jordan Tavarez registered 11 points for Highlands (11-2, 3-1).
Webb scored a total of 20 points to lead Indiana’s standings. Gavin Homer hit double digits with 13 points.
Indiana (5-8, 1-3) travels to Southmoreland for a non-section game on Wednesday.
NORTH CAMBRIA 57, MOSHANNON VALLEY 43: Ty Dumm scored a game-high 26 points for Northern Cambria and the Colts stayed ahead with their third win of the week in an out-of-conference win over Moshannon Valley.
The Host Colts outplayed the Black Knights in each of the first two quarters, taking a 33-23 lead at halftime. Moshannon Valley found a spark after halftime and won the third quarter 13-12, but Northern Cambria retaliated with a 12-7 in the fourth quarter.
Stupid deflated 10 field goals, including a 3-pointer. Peyton Myers helped out with 12 points.
Samuel Howard hit four 3-pointers and put in 21 points.
Northern Cambria (6-7) travel to the Moshannon Valley on Monday.
BURRELL 61, APOLLO RIDGE 42: Burrell started his WPIAL Section 3-AAA win over Apollo Ridge with a 22-4 run in the first quarter and never looked back, clinching his fourth straight win.
Apollo-Ridge extended the Bucs’ lead with a 12-9 in the second quarter, but Burrell maintained control by outplaying the Vikings 30-26 in the second half. Burrell hit 10 of 12 free throws in the first half and 14 of 17 for the game.
Tucker Bitar led all scorers with 17 points, followed by Macky Bennis (14) and Esan King-Buchak (12) in double figures for Burrell (7-6, 4-1).
Cooper Gorley connected with two 3-pointers and led Apollo-Ridge by nine points. Owen Crawford and Adam Sproat each scored six points.
Apollo-Ridge (1-12, 0-6) will play a non-intersection game at St. Joseph on Wednesday.
NORDSTERN 69, LIGONIER VALLEY 65: North Star clinched a narrow win outside the section by repelling a Ligonier Valley rebellion in the fourth quarter to claim their fourth win in their last five games.
The District 5 Class 2A Cougars fell 19-14 after eight minutes but fought their way back up at halftime with an 18-4 second quarter. North Star went 21-12 in the third quarter to extend their lead to 18 points.
The Rams almost regained the lead by 30 points in the last eight minutes, but North Star (8-5) found enough impetus late in the game to earn the away win.
Brady Weimer hit four of North Star’s 10 3-pointers and led all scorers with 27 points. Ethan Smith connected with three 3-pointers and followed with 16 points while CJ Biery added 10 points.
Parker Hollick led Ligonier Valley with 10 field goals and 23 points. Haden Sierocky scored a double-double with 18 points and 10 rebounds. Sierocky also added six steals while Jimmy Pleskovitch helped out with 12 boards.
Ligonier Valley (3-11) plays in Derry on Tuesday.
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